Hungarian-Style Meatballs in Tomato & Mushroom Sauce

 Ingredients

For the meatballs:

500 g ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

3 tbsp breadcrumbs

1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika

½ tsp caraway seeds

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sauce:

400 g crushed tomatoes

200 g mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika

1 tsp tomato paste

250 ml beef stock

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Make the meatballs:

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, paprika, caraway seeds, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix gently until well combined.

Shape:

Form the mixture into small meatballs, about the size of a walnut.

Brown the meatballs:

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Brown the meatballs on all sides for about 5–7 minutes. Remove them and set aside.

Prepare the sauce:

In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onion for 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add Hungarian paprika:

Reduce the heat and stir in the paprika and tomato paste. Immediately add the crushed tomatoes and beef stock. Season with salt and black pepper.

Simmer:

Return the meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Serve:

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Traditional serving suggestion: Serve these Hungarian-style meatballs with buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to

soak up the rich paprika-tomato sauce.